Cardinals lose 5th straight in a 6-0 shutout to the Brewers on June 13. Sonny Gray struggles as the offense gets just 3 hits. Where has the run support gone?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was another frustrating night for the Redbirds as the offense completely vanished in a 6-0 shutout loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The defeat at American Family Field marks the Cardinals' fifth consecutive loss, a skid that is quickly turning a promising season into a concerning slide.
The Cardinals managed just three hits, with Willson Contreras breaking up a no-hit bid in the seventh inning.
The story of the game was the utter lack of offense. For six innings, the Cardinals lineup was completely baffled by Brewers starter Aaron Ashby. It wasn't until the seventh inning that Willson Contreras finally broke through with a single, ending the no-hit bid. But it was too little, too late. The team finished the night with a meager three hits, failing to mount any serious threat and leaving fans wondering where the run production has gone during this losing streak.
Sonny Gray, who has been a rock for the rotation this season, couldn't find his rhythm against the Brewers. In one of his toughest outings of the year, Gray lasted just four innings, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits and a walk. The big blow came on a two-run homer by Jackson Chourio in the fifth inning that broke the game open. While Gray still managed four strikeouts, it wasn't the shutdown performance the team desperately needed to halt their slide.
This five-game losing streak is taking its toll on the standings. With the loss, the Cardinals' record falls to 36-33. They now find themselves a full six games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and have slipped to three games back in the crowded NL Wild Card race. What was once a comfortable position is now becoming a significant deficit to overcome.
The bleeding has to stop somewhere, and the Cardinals will look to Erick Fedde to be the stopper in tomorrow's game. The team needs a strong start on the mound and, more importantly, for the bats to wake up from their slumber. Another loss could put them in an even deeper hole, making Saturday's matchup against the Brewers a critical one to right the ship and salvage the series.